Disk, File and Database Encryption

Abstract Disk, file, and database encryption are technologies that protect data confidentiality when stored. Full disk encryption encrypts all data on a disk except the part containing the code to unlock the rest of the disk, which is usually not encrypted. File-based encryption operates at the file level and can be done by the operating system or an application. Database encryption can be done using transparent database encryption, column-level encryption, or field-level encryption. Both full disk encryption and File-based encryption allow good protection against data leakage in the case of device theft or loss. However, due to their nature, they cannot protect against an attacker who gets her hands on a device turned on or any other intruders who can run programs on the computer.